Hi Jason,
Ant 2.0 will change that but for the time being it is not possible to use an
explicit classpath when defining a task that will call another task. For
example, in Cactus, what I have done is to write helper classes. For example
the startserver task is simply a wrapper around a helper class that has the
logic. This so that the runservertask will actually not call the startserver
task but rather it's helper. This is because as you mentionned, in Ant 1.x
it is not possible to call a task from another task when explicitely
defining a classpath (when using the taskdef task).
Note: The exception to this is when the second task to call is an Ant task
(i.e. located in an Ant package, can't remember which but I remember that an
Ant package was automatically added to the classloader class path, probably
org.apache.tools.ant.task).
I don't know what's wrong with your script.
Cheers,
-Vincent
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jason Grant" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2001 2:29 PM
Subject: Defining classpath within ant build file
I have a question that relates to testing via taskdefs & classloaders
under ant.
I have not been able to conduct tests after defining a classpath within
ant's build.xml file. If I define the classpath externally (i.e. within
the shell that executes ant), I am able to conduct my tests. If I
instead define a classpath in either taskdefs, or in the targets
themselves, I get ClassNotFound exceptions.
Back when cactus was j2eeunit, Vincent explained that use of explicit
classpath entries in either taskdefs or targets causes ant to run each of
the tasks [having custom classpaths] under different classloaders, and so
it is not possible for one task to call another (as done by the cactus
server task) under these circumstances. This explains why things work
when the classpath is configured externally by the shell - all of the
tasks run under the same classloader.
I would now like to dispense with the use of a wrapper script that sets
up the classpath for me, and instead define the classpath within my
build.xml file. I want to use a combination of path and refid
statements, as shown below.
Suggestions appreciated.
Here's an example of what I'd like to do:
<!-- Build classpath -->
<path id="classpath">
<fileset dir="../lib">
<include name="**/*.jar"/>
</fileset>
<fileset dir="../../../../common/lib">
<include name="**/servlet*.jar"/>
</fileset>
</path>
...
<taskdef name="runservertests"
classname="org.apache.commons.cactus.ant.RunServerTestsTask">
<classpath refid="classpath"/>
<taskdef/>
<taskdef name="junit"
classname="org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.optional.junit.JUnitTask">
<classpath refid="classpath"/>
<taskdef/>
<taskdef name="batchtest"
classname="org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.optional.junit.BatchTest">
<classpath refid="classpath"/>
<taskdef/>
...
<target name="run-tests">
<junit printsummary="yes" haltonfailure="yes" haltonerror="yes"
fork="yes">
<formatter type="plain" usefile="false"/>
<batchtest>
<fileset dir="${src.dir}">
<include name="**/*ServletTest.java"/>
</fileset>
</batchtest>
</junit>
</target>
<target name="tests" depends="init-tasks">
<runservertests testURL="http://localhost:8080";
startTarget="start_tomcat_40"
stopTarget="stop_tomcat_40"
testTarget="run-tests"/>
</target>
